Terrace Bar and Food in Lambeth

Amazing lobster rolls, absolutely delicious and thank you to the host for squeezing us in! Great service, and would definitely visit next time I’m at the theatre.

The Terrace used to be a vibrant, modern, ideal spot for a light pre-theatre meal. It’s is now a dark, ugly 80’s (not in a groovy way) inspired horror. Expect tasteless, greasy, overpriced rubbish. Swerve at all costs!

The service was welcoming and friendly but a little slow. Perhaps not surprising given the majority of diners were there for pre-theatre dining. My one major complaint was the £25 lobster roll. It was underwhelming and bore no resemblance to the photograph used in the promotional advertising that features in every theatre programme and elsewhere. That photograph featured a lobster roll filled to the brim with lobster and crayfish. I’d estimate that the lobster roll served to me boasted less than 1/3 of that content. I consider the promotional photograph to be so misleading that I’m surprised the Advertising Standards Authority has not already intervened. Such a pity because I’m so supportive of the Bob’s Lobster concept. N.B. Emailed this feedback to terrace@kerbevents.com but nobody could be bothered to reply.

Bob's Lobster has taken over the Terrace at the National and the swap to ludicrously over-priced fast food is not a good one. We found staff to be woefully undertrained and it is generous to call the service disinterested, though a fellow diner did call it rude. We sat at the table for 20 minutes when the maitre de asked if our server had come. She offered to see if one of the girls 'would come to look after us'. I had to repeat every thing I ordered three times as she was distracted and not listening. One diner had to chase staff through the restaurant as her table's food had arrived but not cutlery. They do not exaggerate when they describe some items as 'small plates'. My lobster and crayfish roll was small, mainly bread, tepid and greasy, and cost £27. As for sustainability, many dishes come on plasticised paper, a throwback to their street food days I assume, but wholly unnecessary. Our meal of one main, one side, two small dishes and two glasses of wine came to £70, when we finally got the bill. The place is within a theatre but saying we needed the bill as we were seeing a play, made no difference to the number of times we had to ask for the bill. Definitely won't be back, definitely do not recommend and one of the stars is for the river view.

We have been coming to the Terrace Restaurant at the National for years. It has always been our favourite place to eat at the National. When it re-opened very recently having been closed during the pandemic, we were thrilled and delighted. Alas, we are now very disappointed indeed. Its new incarnation as 'Bob's Lobster' was a huge disappointment. The sophisticated, interesting modern tapas which used to be the Terrace's speciality are gone, to be replaced by unpleasant seafood snacks. We were the first diners to arrive at 5.30pm, and were greeted by being told that the one meat dish on the menu, and the one dessert on the menu were not available that evening! Not a good start. We ordered a wide selection of this dishes that were available, and every one was disappointing. The lobster and crayfish roll in particular, at £30 each was a disgrace - greasy, tasteless and unpleasant. All the other dishes were too small and completely uninteresting. Unless something is done about the food, the Terrace will certainly very rapidly lose its many fans like us. So sad!

Awful food, service is okay but food, greasy and cold! Dip and tortilla chips: Dip ok chips dripping oil! Beef tacos dripping oil, beef cold and chewy probably from yesterday :(

Bob’s lobster National theatre. First disappointment- no oysters, menu very limited. Plenty of staff but very disorganised. Food arrived before the plates. Drinks arrived after the first course. Food nice but expensive. £30 for a lobster roll - no thanks.

This place is run by a bunch of slouchy kids, dragging their feet and shrugging their shoulders. We arrived on time for our booking before a theatre show. We were made to move around three tables. Then someone turned up eventually to take our order, with a fancy tablet round the neck, which they didn’t seem able to operate. At this point, our table hadn’t been cleared, we didn’t have menus or cutlery but still they came to take our order!!! Then they forgot all about us! We took napkins and cutlery ourselves from a neighbouring table. Eventually a beer can arrived but not the G&Ts as apparently they didn’t understand “slimline tonic’ and, when we explained, they didn’t have any! Long story short, the food didn’t arrive (in the one and half hours we were there), they shrugged their shoulders, we asked for the bill as our theatre performance was about to start. They added service charge to our bill (for the bits that made it to our table eg olives) and there was never even a feeble attempt to apologise or remediate in any way. For obvious reasons we cannot review the food itself! DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS PLACE - it’ll spoil your evening. @bob’slobster perhaps you should start by training your staff before setting them loose in a restaurant. The service and our whole experience was so bad it was surreal!

Menu is limited but found this to be the case in many London restaurants. Very spacious, comfortable seating and a lovely environment. Kids menu didnt include a drink and had very few choices but the food was excellent and very tasty. Enjoyed watching pizzas being made. Loved being able to order coconut shrimp. My family felt very welcomed.

I had a light meal here before going to a play in the same building. The food was quite good and it was relaxing to know that the theatre was on the next floor of the multi storied National Theatre complex. Service is pleasant and I am glad I went early. By the time I'd ordered and had started nibbling on a starter, the restaurant had filled up with fellow theatre goers. No wonder. The Terrace is a quality restaurant where food is prepared and served with care.

We've eaten here on at least three occasions before plays with four plus people and have always found it excellent value and very good value for what it is. Sometimes the combinations are a bit more hit than miss - but always as desribed and creative and often complex. Last week we ate copiously and well with a litre and a quarter of wine and the bill for four was £130. Everything was served within ten minutes or so of the first dish arriving which was fine.

I had eaten here a couple of years ok and it was ok. Convenient if you were seeing a play at the National. This time the food was inedible just totally weird and most dishes were cold. The only thing we enjoyed were the zucchini fries and the plain bread at the beginning. A total waste of money.

We have eaten at the Terrace restaurant a number of times since it is a very convenient and pleasant way to have a meal either before or after a play at the National. We have previously found the small plates to be very good and we particularly remember the zucchini fritti to be wonderful. This time we had the usual very helpful and friendly service but none of the plates was perfect. The real disaster was the zucchini; unfortunately both my wife and I had chosen this so we had two pots to try and get through. They consisted of a very thick heavy covering of tasteless batter and a tiny matchstick of courgette.. I'm afraid this is absolutely not the right way to serve this dish. I suggest that whoever made it should look up how to make a very light tempura-style batter. Our lovely waitress suggested that the problem might be because they had gone vegan; I don't really think that is the correct explanation. Please get your act together.

This is a very handy place to go before the theatre but over-riced and mediocre food. Small sharing plates are bought to you in a random order and some are very nice (zuchini fries) others attempt to be complex but fail- for example arancini with smoked haddock where there was really no taste of smoked haddock at all. Culurgiones (a sort of ravioli) stuffed with saffron mash were horrible- a weird chemical taste. Blue cheese cold from the fridge and not very interesting. But the staff were charming- not charging for the Culurgiones when we said we didn't like it and giving us a cheese dish for free. and generally being very friendly and helpful

We are here between two parts of the Elena Ferrante. The dishes were puzzling in composition. Zucchini fries was the best, simple and hot. The cod beignets were fridge cold and came with an odd jam. The mushrooms came with a mayonnaise, not mash. It tasted odd. Overall, although the dishes were small it was heavy, as everything was fried. Love the setting, wine was well priced and service fine but the food was meh. Could do much much better at these prices.

The tapas menu was enticing and we expected the dishes to be served all at the same time. We elected to share five but three were brought out first, followed by, when we had almost finished them, the other two, which we found a bit...

We had an enjoyable pre-theatre meal inside the Terrace Restaurant overlooking the South Bank.on a flawless summer evening. We had pre-booked via the internet and the arrangement worked seamlessly. The restaurant offered smaller tapas style dishes for sharing. One of us is vegetarian and found...

When this place first opened, it was excellent. A good value, quick place to eat before the theatre. But over the years it’s gone downhill and now it’s pretty awful. The food is dull - and a bit weird to be honest, very strange combinations...

I found the food very tasty, with interesting combinations of ingredients. Service was excellent. We were there on a beautifully sunny warm early everning before a show and to be able to sit outside on the terrace with views of the river was a wonderful...

Three of us visited the restaurant last night prior to a performance of a Small Island. The signature cocktail was a Caribbean punch which 2 of us ordered. Supposedly rum, lime and pineapple based, it not only took 20 minutes for the bar person to...

This was pre-theatre trip with our vegetarian daughter on a sunny Saturday early evening. The restaurant was quiet and there was plenty of room on the balcony overlooking the Thames. The vegetarian options were varied and tasty e.g. the aubergine mousse and the artichoke pacchero....

Managed to secure an outside table with views past the entertainers and onto the Thames . As a party of four we chose about 12 dishes doubling up on two . These are exactly as advertised on the website and the menus are well worn...

Really enjoyed the pre-dinner sharing plates we ate here before an event this evening. My dining partner has a restricted diet due to health concerns, and the kitchen and serving staff could not have been more accommodating, making variations to dishes without compromising on favour....

Wines both poorly chosen and over-priced, and delivery of dishes lacking in any charm. Otherwise, good vibe and variety/quality of food.

I feel like the reviews of this place are skewed by the age of the typical National theatre-goer: if you find tapas-style small dishes to be a new concept and expect piping hot traditional meals, then you probably won't like it. But we're funky forty-somethings...

Over priced, totally bland, egotistically designed tapas style food. Not Spanish, Not Italian...what was it? A small dish of cold ratatouille £9.50, further disappointing dishes, and finally, a deconstructed pear and cranberry crumble, and when asked "was it hot'" the waitress informed us "yes" and...

I’ve been coming to the National for ages and didn’t realise this was here. How silly. It’s sort of round the side and up some steps. The menu is short and varied and offers a kind of tapas/small plates. We found them to be a...

Simple yet relaxed vibe here with god river views. Friendly staff. Menu consists of sharing platters ideal for three! We had tapenade & cashew cream with thick grissini, pork belly with rhubarb, anchovy/mozzarella fritters, prawn/mussel bisque, zucchini fritters, lamb croquettes and squash dumplings followed by...

We had the stuffed dates, which were so salty we could not eat them and the polenta which was very bland - overall the food was not high quality for the price

Went before a show on a Tuesday evening and my wife and I were lucky to get in without a reservation. Atmoshere is lovely with very efficient service. Menu had just been changed and we tried 6 sharing plates of pork belly, duck, lamb, crab,...

We were disappointed to discover that the place only offers a selection of small dishes. They recommend 2 or 3 per person. This sounds like a reasonable idea, but the dishes are mini meals, so you tend to end up eating sardine followed by oyster...

We had a lovely time - great choice of food, good quality food, good service, good ambiance, and really can't get much closer to the theatre, for which we had ticket..

We came to eat here without a booking before our show. The very friendly waiter was able to squeeze us in which was very nice. We ordered the ratatouille, smoked trout, artichoke and cashew fritter and fish with risotto. We also ordered some bread. The...

The setting is lovely. And it’s such a relief that the staff keeps an eye on the starting time of everyone’s shoes. We were a little put off by reviews mentioning the small size of the portions. We love eating tapas-type food and the 4...

Had a lovely, very tasty pre-theatre meal. The Sharing plates were beautifully presented. We had 5 plates between the two of us and that was certainly adequate. The staff ere efficient and worked hard to ensure the food arrived with plenty of time to eat...

This has become our default option for pre-theatre on the South Bank. Not cheap (what did you expect) but helpful and friendly service, they ask what time show you're going to, and the selection of 'sharing plates' is excellent.

The Terrace Restaurant is just outside the doors of the Littleton Theater overlooking the Thames. It is furnished in a modern decor and serves its dishes in a tapas format. We enjoyed the vegan feta and loved the squash & ricotta gnudi. Our desert of...

夕食を求めてたまたま入ったら、思いがけずとても良い店でした。アスパラのサラダ7ポンド、ミートプレート15ポンド、Supp...

I really enjoyed my flying visit to this restaurant with my partner. We arrived late and flustered as we'd been wandering round the Southbank Centre looking for it and asking for directions which confused everyone as there was a Terrace Café in the Southbank Centre....

We had our pre-wedding supper for 70 people at The Terrace Restaurant Johan and team were amazing hosts. The space is amazing with an amazing view onto the Southbank. The food and drink were both phenomenal. Our guests loved it all. Everyone can’t stop raving...

We had an early dinner inside and the interior of the restaurant was almost empty (the outside terrace was busy as it was a sunny evening but almost too hot to sit in the sun), Trying to get the attention of the three waiters was...

Can't fault the setting, and convenience of eating here just before the theatre, but that is unfortunately where the positives stop. The tapas had some highlights (the prawns for example were good), but overall the dishes were boring, at times stodgy, and not at all...

Tapas gives a selection of options and gluten-free options available. Service was fast as it needs to be pre-theatre. Agree that the area is "cavernous" but its a mid 20th century concrete structure so was trendy at the time.

Yet another 'sharing plates' place; I am beginning to forget what it's like to have a meal in a restaurant on a single plate which is designated as mine.....anyway, the space is pleasant enough (a bit cavernous though) and you really need the light to...

Dependable, convenient, quick, light - key ingredients for a pre- theatre meal and the Terrace Restaurant adds in tasty as well. Menu choices are limited which enables the kitchen to respond quickly. Service was courteous and attentive; they ask what performance you plan to attend...

I grew up in the Midwestern USA, I am practically a connoisseur of bland food. This food was bland TO ME. My husband said it was like eating several plates of snow. The "spicy" meat croquettes tasted barely warm to me, which means they would...

Nice choice of tapas style dishes , and fun to share with one of the best views in London over the Thames. Obviously very well geared to the pre-theatre trade , also handy for CharingX and Waterloo so convenience is unbeatable . We had a...

I ate at the Terrace Restaurant back in August for the first time so when a friend and I were seeing a show near Embankment and then planning to walk to the Tate Modern it seemed like a good idea to stop for dinner along...

First time here and was a really enjoyable experience. Sat by the window so had a fantastic view of London. Despite working fairly close by I am always amazed at how cool London can look! The food is really nice but I do think this...

Interesting, decent food. Between the two of us, we ordered 3 savoury items as recommended by staff. We both ordered the courgette but everything else was different, so we had 5 separate items between us, which were all good. We both ordered tiramisu for dessert,...

Although not a Spanish restaurant the food portions are tapas size so you need to order six or seven for two people The quality is fine however

Impressed with the service as we arrived late due to the trains and the waiter kindly asked the kitchen whether it could prepare some food for us as we only had 25mins before the show began. All the dishes are for sharing and we chose...

We went here before a performance at the Oliver theatre. We met friends who were not going to the theatre and it was great not to have to rush off until just before the performance started. Service was friendly and the food was great. We...

Party of 12, all old friends looking forward to a catch up, I had a look at the menu prior and was expecting good things, what turned out was a tad disappointing. Small dishes for the price paid I regret and while most of the...

Perfectly attuned with the fact that their customers will often have a tight deadline, the service and the menu work perfectly in this top floor room with super views over the river as well as plenty of inside tables for the other 48 weeks of...

I ate here during a marathon 7 plus hours of Angels in America. Worth writing a review as it was definitely the best food I have had in the National Theatre - though House is very good - and so very convenient. It is billed...

We chose the Terrace Restaurant as we were going to see a play at the Olivier Theatre. Very friendly service and we were offered a table outside which was great. We made the error of ordering the meat platter (£15) and the vegetable platter (£12)....

A regular visitor to the National Theatre, I have tended to eat elsewhere. But the Terrace Bar, up on the second floor near the Lyttleton stage, is a welcome surprise. Specialising in tapas meals it is probably better to go there with several others, and...

We came early - the table was booked for 6pm, and I was really looking forward to it because our friends had said how amazing it was. The staff were friendly and helpful, the service excellent, no complaints there at all and it's a beautiful...

After an initial hiccup with the opening times, I was shown to my seat and offered water and if I wanted to order drinks. As I waited for my Pre-Set menu to come, I order a carafe (pronounced Car-afe, and not Cara fe as I said☺️) of white wine. I had a 6 courses to come, which was in this order:Cajun spiced popcorn - not that spicy. Buttered collard greens w/ chilli - again no spiceMarinated zucchini & ricotta Pulled duck, devilled egg and asparagus Grilled shrimps & grits Ranger steak, Monterrey jack cheese & picked cucumber slider(-nice, -very nice imho)Pros:Very nice foodAttentive service from a girl whom is in the arts herself. Bought the Chef a beer, as a well done for the food.Good atmosphere apart from a couple behind me speaking what she and Gareth had.Cons:Door opening time.When booking the meal as part of the ticket, no menu to show what food is available).

The menu was sharing plates and there was an ok selection. The foccaccia bread was pretty dry but the Ciabatta was delicious. The food was just a little bit underwhelming all round. Favourite dish was probably the parmesan crusted veg. Pork belly was pretty good...

We went pre theatre but as our show started late the restaurant was quiet. Our service was charming and excellent. The tapas had a strong Italian flavour with some very good gnocchi and delicious smokey beetroot, lovely barrata, and tasty lamb and cod. Very enjoyable meal if a little expensive.

I was rather disappointed with this experience. The cafe looks nice: it is something of a calm oasis in an otherwise rather cramped and chaotic venue (or would have been had the people at the neighbouring table had some control over their children). The waiting staff were very helpful and polite. We had hot chocolate, which was unfortunately not very hot: more like lukewarm chocolate. I also thought that £2.35 for a very small cup was rather pricey. It is the Royal National Theatre, so I would not expect Pret prices (£1.99 these days, I think), but what I would expect would be that the chocolate was hot and that I got a decent sized serving.